Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/103965
prevalent, LiDAR content generation exploded. With that, private and public sectors began to take notice of 3-D's applicability to solve spatial and logistical problems as well as answer previously difficult questions about the third dimension. Today, LiDAR provides those sectors with a perspective beyond what traditional photogrammetric techniques offer. LiDAR's method of data capture makes it the most-efficient means to create accurate Earth surface data and now is the standard for generating digital terrain models (DTMs) cheaply, quickly and with unprecedented precision. The Modern GIS NASA EARTH OBSERVATORY/JESSE ALLEN AND ROBERT SIMMON/DATA FROM MICHAEL LEFSKY LiDAR, combined with GIS, soon will revolutionize and redefine geospatial workflows. Job definitions and barriers among image and geospatial analysts quickly are disappearing, allowing GIS professionals to work with more speed and extract more from their data. Successfully merged technologies, such as GIS and laser-capture data, allow people to create dynamic composites of information, quickly focus on issues at hand, and get answers with minimal effort and deeper understanding. The ability to work with LiDAR data in native format within a GIS serves as an ideal example of two related disciplines mutually improving and informing each other. Imagine being able to open a folder containing LiDAR DTMs and embedding those laser-accurate measurements into a 2-D map. With GIS now accepting LiDAR's Using LiDAR, USGS scientists can map the heights of forests worldwide. Imagery/LIDAR Special Issue J A N U A R Y 2 O 1 3 / W W W . G E O P L A C E . C O M 23